Lawn sprinkler



I- JEPSON LAWN SPRINKLER Sept. 6, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 18, I962 INVENTOR. W

I. JEPSON LAWN SPRINKLER Sept. 6, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 18, 1962 E I NVEN TOR.

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United States Patent 3,270,963 LAWN SPRINKLER Ivar .Iepson, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to Sunbeam Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Apr. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 188,407 12 Claims. (Cl. 239-242) This invention relates generally to lawn sprinklers, and more particularly to lawn sprinklers of the oscillating type having adjustment means to control the size of the spray pattern.

During the past decade, there has been a tremendous change in the types of sprinklers sold to the public. Prior to this period, most sprinklers were of the rotary type having a head with one or more spray tubes rotating about a vertical axis, the rotation being produced by the reaction force of water sprayed from the tube or tubes. In its most common form the rotary type sprinkler was limited to a circular pattern. By adjustment of the spray tubes, the

diameter of this spray pattern could be varied considerably. Inasmuch as most lawns and areas to be watered are square or rectangular in shape, however, the rotary sprinkler was not well adapted to sprinkling such areas. As a consequence of this inherent limitation in the rotary sprinkler, there has developed increased popularity in the so-called oscillating sprinklers which are adapted to sprinkle a rectangular or square area.

The oscillating sprinkler, as it has been known in this country for several decades, includes a substantially horizontally disposed spray tube which is oscillated about a horizontal axis by :means of a water driven motor. The spray tube is generally arc-shaped with a plurality of orifices or nozzles through which water is sprayed to produce a fiat fan-like distribution of water. As the spray tube is oscillated through an angle of about 90 degrees, the water falls in a rectangular area with the sprinkler centered with respect thereto. The width of the spray pattern is determined by the arc of the spray tube, the characteristics of the spray nozzles and the Water pressure. Thus, the conventional oscillating sprinkler operating on a given water pressure has a constant spray width which cannot be varied. The length of the spray pattern may normally be varied by changing the angle through which the spray tube oscillates. A typical oscillating sprinkler having such a length adjustment for the spray pattern is shown in my Patent No. 2,914,255.

To overcome the above-mentioned limitation and permit adjustment of the width of the spray pattern in an oscillating sprinkler, I conceived the idea of varying the arc of the spray tube of an oscillating sprinkler. The conception of a flexible, adjustable spray tube is disclosed and claimed in my Patent No. 2,952,413. It would, however, be desirable to provide a spray pattern Width adjustment for an oscillating sprinkler which would be usable with a rigid type of spray tube.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved oscillating sprinkler having means for adjusting the width of the spray pattern.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an oscillating sprinkler in which the length and width of the spray pattern are readily adjustable.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide an oscillating sprinkler having a rigid arc-shaped spray tube which is adjusted to vary the width of the spray pattern produced by the sprinkler.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an oscillating sprinkler having the spray tube mounted for adjustable positioning about an axis extending perpendicular to the axis of oscillation of the spray tube.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1: is a perspective view of a sprinkler embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken along line 33 of FIG. 2, assuming FIG. 2 shows the complete sprinkler;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the spray pattern control portion of the sprinkler shown in I FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken along line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2, assuming FIG. 2 shows the complete sprinkler;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the oscillating linkage shown in FIG. 6 with the spray tube shown at the limits of its oscillatory motion when set for a 60 degree oscillation;

FIG. 8 is a view of the oscillating linkage similar to that shown in FIG. 7 with the mechanism set at degrees of oscillatory movement;

FIG. 9 is a vertical section similar to FIG. 7 with the oscillatory mechanism set for 45 degrees of oscillatory movement; and

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the linkage for producing oscillatory motion of the spray tube.

The present invention provides a mounting arrangement for the spray tube of an oscillating sprinkler whereby the spray tube may be adjustably positioned about an axis which is perpendicular to the axis about which the tube is oscillated. Through such an adjustment it is possible to vary the width of the spray pattern produced by the sprinkler from a maximum when the spray tube extends parallel to the axis of oscillation to a minimum when the spray tube extends substantially perpendicular to the axis of oscillation of the tube. In the minimum width position, the width of the spray approaches a line and is limited only by the distribution or width of each individual spray issuing from the nozzles positioned along the length of the spray tube.

It should be understood that the present invention is of general application and the specific disclosure is by way of example only. In the particular application illustrated in the drawings, there is disclosed an oscillating sprinkler indicated generally by the numeral 12. The sprinkler is made up of two plastic or die cast members, a combined base and housing member 14 and a cover 16. The housing member 14 has formed integrally therewith .a pair of runners 14a and 14b which support the sprinkler 12 with respect to the lawn and permit it to be dragged across the lawn.

Positioned between the runners 14a and 14b is a sidewardly opening housing 140. The housing is made up of a horizontal bottom Wall 14d, a vertically extending end wall 14e, side walls 14 and a semicylindrical top wall 14g. The housing 140 cooperates with the cover 1s to form a closed chamber 18 within which is positioned a water motor 20 which oscillates t-he spray/tube of the sprinkler. The water motor 20 includes an impeller 22 which has formed integrally at one end thereof a worm 24. The worm 24 is in driving engagement with a gear 26 which is supported for rotation on a vertically extending shaft 28. Positioned below the gear 26 and adapted to rotate therewith is a second Worm 30 which may be molded integrally with the gear 26. The worm 30 is in driving engagement with a second gear 32. The gear 32 is secured to an out- Patented sept. 6, 1966 put shaft 34 which carries at its outer end an eccentric or crank menrber 36.

For the purpose of supporting the various portions of the water motor 20, the housing member 14 is provided with a vertical support 1411 which extends across the center of the chamber 18 and supports the shafts 28 and 34 as well as the inner end of the impeller 22 and worm 24.

The crank member 36 and linkage to be described below are intended to convert the rotary motion produced at the output of the water motor to the oscillatory motion of an arc-shaped spray tube 38 which has a plurality of orifices 38a positioned on a line extending lengthwise along the spray tube. The spray tube 38 is supported with respect to the sprinkler 12 by means of a vertically extending conduit support 40 which has formed therein an opening 40b adapted to receive the spray tube 38. An opening 38b at the midpoint of spray tube 38 communicates with a passageway 40a extending downwardly through the center of conduit support 40, as may best be seen in FIG. 2.

To support the spray tube 38 for oscillation, there is provided a cylindrical carrier 46 which is mounted within the chamber 18. The carrier 46 is a cup-like member having cylindrical walls 46a and a bottom wall 46b. The outer surface of the cylindrical wall 46a is formed with a pair of spaced annular grooves 460 within which a pair of sealing gaskets 48 are received.

To journal the cylindrical carrier 46 for rotation about a horizontal axis the support 14h of the housing member 14 is formed with a horizontally extending opening 14 As may best be seen in FIG. 2, the gaskets 48 are positioned to engage the walls of the opening 14j and seal the space between the cylindrical carrier 46 and the opening 14 The interior of the cup-shaped cylindrical carrier 46 is in fluid communication with the spray tube 38 by means of the conduit support 40 which extends through an opening 46a formed in the wall 46a.

As is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, an elongated bushing 42 is received within the opening 46d in the carrier 46 and journals therein the conduit support 40. The lower end of the bushing 42 is press fitted into the carrier 46 to insure a rigid leak tight connection therebetween. To insure a minimum of leakage in the rotatable mounting of the support 40 in the bushing 42, there is provided a shoulder 400 on the support 40 abutting the upper end of the bushing 42. In addition, the shoulder 40 is urged into seated engagement with the upper end of the bushing 42 'by means of a helical retaining spring 44 which urges the support 40 downwardly through its engagement with a snap ring 45 applied to the lower end of the support 40. It should be understood, therefore, that the support 40 and the bushing 42 provide a mounting for the spray tube so that it may be rotated with respect to the carrier 46 about' the axis of the conduit support 40. Since it is intended that the carrier 46 be oscillated by means of the water motor 20, the top cylindrical wall 14g of the housing member 14 is formed with an opening or clearance slot 14k as is best shown in FIG. 5. Since the housing is cut away in the area of the clearance slot 14k the need for the gaskets 48 between the carrier 46 and the mounting portion of the housing member 14 'becomes obvious. A semicylindrical trim plate 47 in secured to bushing 42 to partially cover the slot 14k.

To facilitate selection of desired positions of the spray tube 38, the trim plate 47 is marked with suitable indicia as shown in FIG. 4. The indicia arranged around the conduit support 40 represent the width of the spray pattern in feet. A cooperating mark or arrowhead 40a is inscribed on the conduit support 40. By rotating the sprinkler tube 38 and its support 40 to align the mark 40d with any selected number of feet, the operator may set the sprinkler 12 to any desired spray width from one to perhaps sixty feet.

The cover 16 is provided with an outwardly extending conduit portion 16a to which a suitable hose coupling 50 is attached. The inner end of conduit portion 16a terminates in a nozzle member 16b having a nozzle opening 160 positioned adjacent the impeller 22 of the water motor 20. As water delivered through a suitable hose enters the conduit portion 16a, it discharges through the opening 16c into driving engagement with the blades of the impeller 22 in a manner well known in the sprinkler art. The cover 16 is formed with an inwardly extending bearing support 16d which is received in a recess in the impeller 22 to support it for rotation.

The cover 16 which closes the sidewardly facing opening of the housing is secured to housing 140 by means of four screws 51 shown only in FIG. 3. Positioned between the housing member 14 and the cover 16 is a gasket member 53 which seals the mating portions of the housing member 14 and cover 16 and prevents water leakage from the chamber 18. Also clamped between the housing 14 and cover 16 is a partition plate 55 which serves to separate the gearing of the water motor 20 from the water flowing in through conduit portion 16a, through the chamber 18 and outwardly through the carrier 46, the conduit support 40 and the spray tube 38. The plate 55 is provided with a clearance opening 55a through which the supporting hub of the impeller 22 extends. No attempt is made to seal the motor 20 from the incoming water. The water fills up the portion of the chamber 18 containing the gearing for motor 20. The plate 55 is merely intended to provide some protection for the gearing and prevent large particles of foreign matter and the like from entering the gearing. As is evident from FIG. 3, a shoulder 14m is provided around the sidewardly facing opening in the housing member 14 to receive and support the plate 55.

Positioned against the outer face of the upper portion of the cover 16 is a control knob 52 which is adapted to adjust the length of the sprinkler spray pattern in a manner to be described below. The control knob 52 is secured by means of a set screw 52a to the end of a horizontally extending shaft 54 which extends through an opening 16e in the cover 16. A suitable gasket 56 is utilized between the shaft 54 and the opening 162 to prevent leakage therethrough. The end of the control shaft 54 remote from the knob 52 is received in an opening 462 in the cylindrical carrier 46.

Turning now to the exploded perspective of FIG. 10, we may examine the mechanism by means of which the rotary motion produced at the output shaft 34 of the water motor 20 is converted into oscillatory motion of the cylindrical carrier 46 supporting the spray tube 38. The only actual motion transmitting means between the crank member 36 of the water motor 20 and the cylindrical carrier 46 is drive arm 58. The drive arm 58 is formed at its lower end with a slot 58a which is adapted to receive in driving engagement therewith the drive pin 36a formed on the crank member 36. As the crank member rotates, the drive pin 36a moves up and down within the slot 58:: causing oscillation of the drive arm 58 about a centrally located pivot. The upper end of the drive arm 58 is formed with a slot 58b within which is received a connecting pin 60. The connecting pin 60 is secured to the cylindrical carrier 46 by a screw 61 as is best shown in FIG. 2. As the drive arm 58 oscillates, the upper end thereof causes the cylindrical carrier 46 to oscillate by virtue of the engagement of the connecting pin 60 with the slot 58b.

To vary the amount of oscillation produced in the carrier 46 and accordingly in the spray tube 38, means are provided to vary the position of the pivotal mounting of the drive arm 58 with respect to the crank member 36. By varying the position of the pivot in this way, the ratio of the distance between the pivot and the connecting pin 60 and distance between the pivot and the drive pin 36a is changed and thereby the amount of oscillation may be increased or decreased. This pivotal mounting of the drive arm 58 includes a support arm 62 which is pivoted at one end to the support 14h by means of a screw 64, the outer end of which is formed with a shouldered bearing portion 64a which is received in an opening 62a in the support arm 62. The other end of the support arm 62 is formed with an outwardly extending boss 62b which serves as the pivotal support for the drive arm 58. A round hole 58c is formed in the drive arm 58 to receive the boss 62b. The vertical movement of the boss 62b on the support arm 62 is accomplished by a link 66, the lower end of which is pivotally secured to the support arm 62 by a shoulder screw 68 and the upper end of which is attached to the control shaft 54.

The inner end of the control shaft 54 has formed thereon a bearing flange 54a and an eccentric projection 54b. The eccentric projection 54b is received within an opening 66a in the link 66. A screw 70 is threadedly received in the eccentric projection 54b to retain the link 66 assembled thereto.

As the control shaft 54 is rotated, the eccentric projection 54b moves along an arc and thereby causes the upper end of link 66 to describe an arc. The lower end of link 66 is connected to support arm 62 which limits movement thereof to a substantially vertical path as the upper end moves along an arc-shaped path. Rotation of the support arm 62 about its pivotal mounting screw 64 by link 66 accordingly moves vertically the boss 62b which serves as the pivotal mounting for the drive arm 58.

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 show the arrangement of the link 66 and the drive arm 58 for various positions of the control knob 52. In FIG. 7, the control knob has been set for an oscillation angle of 60 degrees. With the control knob so positioned the eccentric projection 54b is located at about 9 oclock if we consider the bearing flange 54a as a clock face with the center being the axis of rotation of the control shaft 54. With the eccentric projection 5415 at 9 oclock, the boss 62b about which the drive arm 58 pivots is located in its intermediate position which results in a 60 degree oscillation of the carrier 46 and the spray tube 38.

Turning now to FIG. 8, we note that the control shaft has been rotated so that the eccentric projection 54b is moved to an 8 oclock position. Such movement accordingly lowers the boss 62b about which the drive arm 58 pivots. With the pivot 62B moved closer to the drive pin 36a of the water motor 20 and farther from the connecting pin 60 on the carrier 46, the amount of oscillation of the carrier 46 increases over that produced with the positioning shown in FIG. 7. The actual amount of rotation with the eccentric projection 54b in approximately the 8 oclock position is 90 degrees.

In FIG. 9, the mechanism is shown with the control shaft rotated so that the eccentric projection 54b is in approximately a oclock position. Accordingly, the boss 62b about which the arm 58 pivots is moved upwardly shortening the distance between boss 62 and connecting pin 60 on the carrier 46. As a consequence, the carrier 46 is oscillated through a smaller arc, in this case 45 degrees.

The spray pattern length control knob 52 is calibrated in degrees, as is best shown in FIG. 4. By positioning a selected angle in alignment with an indicia arrow or mark 16), the operator may obtain a greater or smaller length of spray pattern if desired. The spray pattern length control knob 52 may, of course, be calibrated in feet if desired.

In FIGS. 6 through 9, the spray tube is shown set for the maximum width of spray. It should be understood that for any of these settings of the control knob 52, the spray tube 38 may be rotated with respect to the carrier 46 to achieve the desired width of spray.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be 6 made without departing from the invention, and that it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An oscillating sprinkler comprising an elongated spray tube, carrier means for said spray tube pivot-a1 about a horizontal axis, a water motor operable to oscillate said carrier about said axis, means mounting said spray tube on said carrier for selective manual positioning at various angles to said axis, and means defining a water conduit for supplying water to said spray tube, said lastmentioned means being water sealed at any of said various angles of positioning of said spray tube.

2. In a sprinkler of the type having a generally horizontally extending spray tube and a water motor for oscillating said tube, the improvement comprising a spray tube carrier mounted for oscillation about a horizontal axis, adjustable means mounting said spray tube with respect to said carrier for movement about an axis perpendicular to said horizontal axis, means retaining said spray tube in any selected position of adjustment with respect to said carrier, and means defining a water conduit for supplying water to said spray tube, said last-mentioned means being water sealed at any of said selected positions of said spray tube.

3. An oscillating sprinkler comprising an elongated spray tube, carrier means for said spray tube pivotal about a horizontal axis, power means drivingly connected to oscillate said carrier means about said axis, a water conduit extending from said spray tube transversely of the length of said spray tube, and means mounting said water conduit on said carrier means for rotation about an axis perpendicular to said horizontal axis to vary the size of the spray pattern of said sprinkler, said means mounting said water conduit including a rotary water seal and retaining means for holding said spray tube in any selected rotary position with respect to said carrier means.

4. An oscillating sprinkler comprising a housing enclosing a water driven motor, an elongated spray tube having spray orifices positioned along a line extending lengthwise of said tube, a carrier mounted in said housing for rotary movement about a horizontal axis, drive means interconnecting said water motor and said carrier to oscillate said carrier about said axis, said spray tube being movably mounted on said carrier to permit selective positioning of said spray tube in a plane parallel to the axis of rotation of said carrier, means retaining said spray tube in any of the selected positions, and means defining a water conduit for supplying water to said spray tube, said last-mentioned means being Water sealed at any of said selected positions of said spray tube.

5. A lawn sprinkler comprising a spray tube, power driven means for oscillating said spray tube about a first axis, means interconnecting said spray tube and said power means for varying the angle of oscillation of said spray tube, and means mounting said spray tube for selective rotary positioning with respect to said first axis, said means mounting said spray tube defining a water conduit for supplying water to said spray tube which conduit is water sealed in any of the rotary positions of said spray tube.

6. The lawn sprinkler of claim 5 wherein said means mounting said spray tube permits rotation of said spray tubev about a second axis perpendicular to said first axis.

7. A lawn sprinkler comprising an elongated arc-shaped spray tube having aligned discharge orifices positioned along the length of said tube to produce a fan-shaped discharge of water, a support conduit for said tube extending substantially perpendicular to said tube on the side opposite from said orifices, a housing, a water motor, a carrier mounted in said housing for rotation about a horizontal axis, a driving linkage interconnecting said motor and said carrier to produce oscillatory movement of said carrier, and means journalling said support conduit in said carrier for rotation thereon.

8. The lawn sprinkler of claim 7 wherein said support conduit is mounted for rotation about an axis perpendicular to said horizontal axis.

9. The lawn sprinkler of claim 7 wherein said spray tube is selectively positionable at various angles with respect to said horizontal axis to vary the width of the spray pattern produced by said sprinkler.

10. An oscillating sprinkler comprising a water sealed housing having coupling means for a water supply hose, a Water motor in said housing driven by the water supplied thereto, said motor having an output shaft driving an eccentric crank pin, an elongated spray tube, a cylindrical carrier mounted for rotation in a cylindrical recess formed in said housing, an annular gasket at either end of said carrier sealing the spaces between the ends of said carrier and the adjacent walls of said housing, a spray tube support rotatably mounted on said carrier between said gaskets and having a passageway extending to the interior of said carrier, said support being mounted on said carrier to permit rotation of said spray tube with respect to said carrier, said support projecting outside of said housing through a slot formed therein and carrying on its outer side said spray tube, and a drive arm interconnecting said crank pin and said carrier to oscillate said carrier about its axis.

11. The sprinkler of claim 10 wherein said drive arm is pivoted intermediate its ends, and slots formed at both ends of said drive arm for driving engagement with said crank pin and an eccentric pin on said carrier to oscillate said carrier in response to rotary movement of said crank pin.

12. The sprinkler of claim 11 wherein the pivot for said drive arm is movable to vary the amount of oscillation of said carrier.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 288,222 11/1883 Flad 239239 X 567,916 9/1896 Newell 239248 1,942,271 1/ 1934 Barrington 239242 2,673,122 3/1954 Wehner 239242 FOREIGN PATENTS 578,351 6/1933 Germany.

505,278 9/1930 Germany.

314,177 6/1919 Great Britain.

EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner. ROBERT A. OLEARY, LOUIS J. DEMBO, Examiners, L. L. KING, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN OSCILLATING SPRINKLER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED SPRAY TUBE, CARRIER MEANS FOR SAID SPRAY TUBE PIVOTAL ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS, A WATER MOTOR OPERABLE TO OSCILLATE SAID CARRIER ABOUT SAID AXIS, MEANS MOUNTING SAID SPRAY TUBE ON SAID CARRIER FOR SELECTIVE MANUAL POSITIONING AT VARIOUS ANGLES TO SAID AXIS, AND MEANS DEFINING A WATER 